God’s Word Translation
Acts 7:55
55But Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked into heaven, saw God’s glory, and Jesus in the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne.
Acts 7:55 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
- New International Version (NIV)But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
Context of Acts 7:55
53You are the people who received Moses’ Teachings, which were put into effect by angels. But you haven’t obeyed those teachings.” 54As council members listened to Stephen, they became noticeably furious. But Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked into heaven, saw God’s glory, and Jesus in the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne. 56So Stephen said, “Look, I see heaven opened and the Son of Man in the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the throne!” 57But the council members shouted and refused to listen. Then they rushed at Stephen with one purpose in mind,
Read all of Acts 7Acts 7:55 word by word
Ὑπάρχων δὲ πλήρης πνεύματος ἁγίου, ἀτενίσας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εἶδεν δόξαν θεοῦ καὶ Ἰησοῦν ἑστῶτα ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ θεοῦRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- he, beingὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
- fullπλήρηςplērēs · fullG4134
- of theπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
- lookedἀτενίζωatenizō · to gazeG816
- upεἰςeis · towardG1519
- heavenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- the gloryδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- standingἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
- onἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- the right handδεξιόςdexios · rightG1188
Cross-references for Acts 7:55
- Acts 2:4All the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
- Acts 4:8Then Peter, because he was filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and leaders of the people,
- Acts 6:3So, brothers and sisters, choose seven men whom the people know are spiritually wise. We will put them in charge of this problem.
- Acts 13:9But Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He stared at Elymas
- Micah 3:8But I am filled with the power of the Lord’s Spirit, with justice, and with strength. So I will tell ⌞the descendants of⌟ Jacob about their crimes and ⌞the nation of⌟ Israel about its sins.
- Acts 1:10They were staring into the sky as he departed. Suddenly, two men in white clothes stood near them.
- 2 Corinthians 12:2I know a follower of Christ who was snatched away to the third heaven fourteen years ago. I don’t know whether this happened to him physically or spiritually. Only God knows.
- Revelation 4:1After these things I saw a door standing open in heaven. I heard the first voice like a trumpet speaking to me. It said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.”
- Isaiah 6:1In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a high and lofty throne. The bottom of his robe filled the temple.
- Ezekiel 1:26Above the dome over their heads was something that looked like a throne made of sapphire. On the throne was a figure that looked like a human.
- Ezekiel 10:4The Lord’s glory rose from the angels to the entrance of the temple, the cloud filled the temple, and the brightness of the Lord’s glory filled the courtyard.
- Ezekiel 11:23The Lord’s glory left the middle of the city and stopped above the mountain east of the city.
- John 12:41Isaiah said this because he had seen Jesus’ glory and had spoken about him.
- 2 Corinthians 4:6We are his servants because the same God who said that light should shine out of darkness has given us light. For that reason we bring to light the knowledge about God’s glory which shines from Christ’s face.
- 2 Peter 1:17For example, we were eyewitnesses when he received honor and glory from God the Father and when the voice of our majestic God spoke these words to him: “This is my Son, whom I love and in whom I delight.”
- Revelation 21:11It had the glory of God. Its light was like a valuable gem, like gray quartz, as clear as crystal.
Commentaries on Acts 7:55
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 55Saw the glory of God - The Shekinah, the splendor or manifestation of the Divine Majesty. And Jesus standing on the right hand of God - In his official character, as Mediator between God and man. Stephen had this revelation while in the Sanhedrin; for as yet he had not been forced out of the city. See Acts 7:58.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 55Full of the Holy Ghost - See the notes on Acts 2:4. Looked up stedfastly - Fixed his eyes intently on heaven. Foreseeing his danger, and the effect his speech had produced; seeing that there was no safety in the Great Council of the nation, and no prospect of justice at their hands, he cast his eyes to heaven and sought protection there. When dangers threaten us, our hope of safety lies in heaven. When people threaten our persons, reputation, or lives, it…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 54-60Verses 54-60 Nothing is so comfortable to dying saints, or so encouraging to suffering saints, as to see Jesus at the right hand of God: blessed be God, by faith we may see him there. Stephen offered up two short prayers in his dying moments. Our Lord Jesus is God, to whom we are to seek, and in whom we are to trust and comfort ourselves, living and dying. And if this has been our care while we live, it will be our comfort when we die. Here is a prayer…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 55-56standing at the right hand of God: Usually, the Bible describes Jesus as seated in heaven at God’s right side (2:33–34; 5:31; Luke 20:42; 22:69; Romans 8:34; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3, 13; 10:12). One possible explanation has been proposed by some church fathers that Jesus was welcoming Stephen to heaven with honor as the first New Testament martyr. Stephen was loyal in confessing his Lord on earth. Now his Lord honored his promise to…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 54-5654-56. When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, &c.--If they could have answered him, how different would have been their temper of mind!Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 7:55
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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